Garage-door opening and closing mechanism



April 7, 1931. T, EW|NG 1,799,222

GARAGE DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 29, 1928 Q T .22 1 T2 1'' 7 420 101,. a e/1; A .22 INVENTOR (0).

53 BY .5: 52am ATTORN EY Patented Apr. 7, 1931 FFICE THEODORE A. EVTING, 0F IDETBQI'I, MICEEGAN Application filed iictober My invention relates to improvementsin door opening and closing mechanism and particularly to means for operating the respective sections of a divided four fold op- :1 positely swinging double garage door.

While this invention is primarily designed for garage doors for service stations, it is equally well adapted for controlling the doors of private garages, factory doors, or doors of like character.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide means whereby the respective hinge connected panels'comprising each half of the door may be simultaneously operated either manually or mechanically as desired.

A further object of the invention is to eliminate the usual track and cooperative elements guiding the respective folding door panels as ordinarily employed. 7

ency to cause either or both of the doors to flap or swing inwardly or outwardly when open for the passage of vehicles into or out of the garage.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide for the adjustment of the respective controlling levers and connecting links, to adapt them for different installations.

A further object of the invention is to provide means adapted to bear upon the adjoind ing middle panels of the respective double doors when closed, that they may be forced into the same vertical plane, and also to assist in maintaining the doors in closed position.

With the foregoing and other objects in 3 view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention further resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that I 55? changes may be made in the precise embodias, was.

A further object of the invention is to pro- Serial No. 315,682.

ment of the invention shown without departing from the spirit of the same.

In the drawings accompanying this specification:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a garage, showing the doors closed.

Figure 2 is a plan and horizontal sectional View through the frame of the garage, indicating the folding doors closed and the door operating mechanism part-1y broken away and in section.

v Figure 3 is a similar view showing the doors and the door controlling mechanism in open position.

.Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail of an adjustable joint, connecting one of the door brackets with a telescoping arm of the door operating mechanism.

Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawings:

A denotes a garage, B, B a divided folding door, respectively hinged to the frame of the garage at opposite sides of the door opening. The divided sections of the door comprise two panels C, C hinged together at D that they may fold face to face, or back to back when the, door is open.

E, E denote bracket arms secured to the respective abutting middle panels of the divided door, each having an outstanding serrated 1= horizontally disposed. hub portion E respectively articulating with .a like hub portion F on the ends of a pair of telescoping link members l pivoted in turn to a telescoping connecting bar G".

F denotes a bolt fitted with a nut, extending through the hub portions E and F of the bracket and link members, to secure these elements in fixed angular relation as required.

F and G are set nuts to secure the respective telescoping members F and G when properly adjusted.

H denotes an adjustable radius rod pivoted at one end to the bolt connecting the telescoping link member F and bar G. The other end of the radius rod H is pivoted to an adjustable horizontal post K secured to the frame of the door opening.

I denotes a slidably adjustable weight mounted upon the connecting bar G to which it is secured when properly adjusted by a set screw I Projecting from the weight I toward the door is a post 1 fitted with a thrust plate I overlapping the adjoining middle panels of the door frame when closed to force the panels into alignment and to assist in holding the door closed.

J are door pulls secured to each of the panels hinged to the door frame for convenience in manually opening the door.

Paving now indicated the several parts reference letters the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood:

Assuming the door to be closed, it may be opened by manually pulling upon one oi? the door pulls J thereby causing the panel to which it is attached to swil upon the hinge, securing it to the door frame.

This action causes the ir ddle we divided door to swing upon the hinges connecting them to their respective outer supporting panels, due to the action of the brackets I) and the angularly disposed link members F, pivoted to each end of the connecting bar G. Both see us of the door are thus opened simultaneously to the proper angle and are held against flapping under wind pressure by the radius rod I-I secured at one end to the post II, projecting from the door casing.

To close the doors one of the panels hinged to the door casing is pushed toward the door opening, thereby reversing the oper tion of the several parts as previously described, and causing the door panels to swing upon their respective hinges and into alignment 1 ith each other, thus closing the door opening and causing the thrust plate I carried by the slidable weight I to bear upon the adjoining edges of the middle panels oi the divided door, forcing them to a closure in the same vertical plane.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In combination with a pair of swinging doors respectively adapted to be hinged to a door frame at opposite sides of the door opening, each of said doors comprising a pair or panels hinged together; a door operating mechanism comprising a bracket fixture secured to the respective abutting outer panels of each swinging door, having an arm projecting at an angle to the door; a connecting link bar pivoted to each 01' said angularly proj ecting arms; and a radius rod pivotally connected at one end to the building frame and at the other end to one of the angularly projecting arms carried by the middle abutting panels of the door.

2. In combination with a pair of swinging doors respectively adapted to be hinged to a door frame at opposite sides of the door opening, each of said doors comprising a pair of panels hinged together; a door operating nels of the mechanism comprising a bracket fixture secured to the respective abutting outer panels of each swinging door, an angularly adjustable arm pivoted to each bracket fixture; means for securing said arms in their angular relation to the bracket fixtures; a connecting link bar pivoted to each of said angularly projecting arms; and a radius rod pivotally connected at one end to the building frame and at the other end to one of the angularly projecting arms carried by one of the middle abutting panels of the door.

3. In combination with a pair of swinging doors respectively adapted to be hinged to a door frame at opposite sides of the door opening, each of said doors comprising a pair of panels hinged toget. er; a door operating mechanism comprising a bracket fixture secured to the respective abutting outer panels of each swinging door, having an extensible arm projecting at an angle to the door; means for adjustably securing said arms to the bracket fixtures; an extensible connecting link bar pivoted to each of said angularly projecting arms; and an extensible raoius rod pivotally connected. at one end to the building frame and at the other end to one of the angularly extensible projecting arms carried by one of the middleabutting panels or" the door.

4. A structure as specified in claim 1 in combination with an adjustable weight and an integral projecting thrust plate mounted upon the connecting bar, said thrust plate being adapted to overlap and bear upon the marginal edges of the doors when closed.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

THEODORE A. EWING. 

